(Photo Illustration - Pace Negotiations by Art Smith)

Saturday will be here before you know it and today is a good time to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything to prepare for your participation in the News and Sentinel Half Marathon or Two-Mile Race.

By now you have trained as much as you can, and your body is as prepared as it will be. This may be the first time you have participated but it is the 21st for me so let me offer some suggestions.

Know the racecourse. The race starts near the Wood County Courthouse and the intersection of Juliana and Third streets. It will start by traveling up Juliana Street through the beautiful Julia-Ann Historic District. There will be a map in your race bag that you will pick up Friday and there will be volunteers and traffic cones all over the course to guide you on Saturday. You will not get lost, but you will not know what is coming unless you know the course. There are white footprints and arrows painted around the entire course. Painted by the street department, they allow you to follow the course in a car. I recommend you do this so you will know what is coming up on Saturday. I have seen racers somewhat surprised when they turn from Avery onto 13th Street and see the hill in front of them. If they had prior knowledge, they would have likely taken an extra Gatorade at the water stop just before the turn.

Hydrate properly. We have ample water stops all over the racecourse. I’ve been told we have more than some full marathons. During the race make sure you drink plenty of fluids. I have seen many runners get sick at the end of the race because they failed to take ANY water during the race. Don’t be that person. It’s important to hydrate all week. In fact, go get a water right now. I will wait for you.

Eat right. Make sure you eat right all week. Eating complex carbohydrates and lean protein will help you on race day. Saturday morning, eat something light and easily digestible. You do not want to have stomach issues on the racecourse.

Know your pace. If you normally run a 12-minute mile, don’t go off the starting line like a jack rabbit. Races tend to self-sort into groups of people with similar abilities. This is your tribe. You are in this together. Enjoy the shared experience.

Know where you are going to park. We start closing streets pretty early for the safety of everyone walking to the race. Get here early, enjoy the calm before the storm. Despite what the signs say, you can park in our lot at 519 Juliana St. Please park in the spots without white numbers. Make sure you are in an actual spot. Don’t park where the cones are, those are for fire trucks that will hoist a huge American Flag.

Enjoy the experience. Don’t take your athletic prowess too seriously. Know your limit and remember you are doing this to have fun. Soak in the experience and if you happen to see me around the course, remind me that I should do the same.

Art Smith is co-director of the News and Sentinel Races and online manager of the newspaper. You can contact him at asmith@newsandsentinel.com